The planning process for the North Avenue Park has resumed, and the green light is on to move forward. COVID had a direct impact on progress for several of the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI) projects, including the park.
The park, which will be located on North Avenue across from the Community Shop and near the Chestnut Street intersection, was one of several projects cited for funding via the $10 million DRI.
Developing parks and open spaces revitalizes neighborhoods and is a catalyst for improving the vitality of communities.
Earlier this month, the Village of Owego, in collaboration with the Cornell University Design Connect team and the Owego Hose Teams, hosted a community Zoom meeting to discuss the North Avenue Park project. The session was a key component in gathering feedback regarding potential park features, along with community input collected from a recent on-line survey.
Economic Development and Planning Deputy Director (ED&P), Brittany Woodburn, previously shared in an article for the Owego Pennysaver’s Progress Edition last month, “Feedback from the community will be used to develop a shared vision for this public space and will directly inspire the park design.”
Abbey Hendrickson, community development specialist with ED&P, recently commented about the survey, “We received a lot of constructive feedback from about two hundred responses,” adding, “The response was really inspiring.”
Pictured is a view of the North Avenue Park property, a Downtown Revitalization Initiative project. The site will include parking, an amphitheater, a sculpture garden, and an open recreational space. Additional ideas for the park, and based on a recent community survey and Zoom meeting, are in the planning stage. (JoAnn R. Walter Photo)
Four elements of the North Avenue Park, which were set as requirements of the DRI, include parking, an amphitheater, a sculpture garden, and an open recreation space. The design of the North Avenue Park will allow for upwards of 24 parking spaces.
A separate project aside from the DRI park project is the Steamer House. This building will be constructed adjacent to the park and next to Owego Fire Station #2, and will showcase a restored 1866 Steam Fire Pumper.
Examples from the community feedback, Hendrickson said, include ideas such as a pollinator garden, selected plantings like trees that soak up water while adding beauty to the landscape, flood mitigation suggestions, installing permeable pavement, and a focus on a volunteerism theme, just to name a few.
Moving forward, an essential partner in the project is Cornell University Design Connect, a multi-disciplinary, community design organization. The student-run group provides design and planning services for local municipalities and non-profits that may not have the resources to hire professionals.
Pictured is a view of the North Avenue Park property, located across from the Community Shop, and near the Chestnut Street intersection. In the background is Owego Fire Station #2 and the Historic Clock Tower. (JoAnn R. Walter Photo)
A win-win for Owego and the students, the students receive credits and gain practical work experience while the Village realizes minimal cost for their services. Unfortunately, due to COVID, the original Design Connect Team who toured Owego in February of 2020 has been replaced with a new team. No worries, though, the green light is still on.
Hendrickson expects that the Design Connect Team will have a report generated from the survey results and Zoom meeting by the first part of May.
As the process continues on the North Avenue Park, one goal is to give the property a new name. Long referred to as “The Pit” by locals, a new identity sparked by suggestions from the community will be used to rename the site.
Pictured is the Hudson House, a thriving hotel in Owego for about 25 years until disrepair resulted in its demolition in 1875. The rear of the building extended over Dodd’s Pond, now the current North Avenue Park property. Provided photo.
The vacant property was once home to a large, marshy pond called Dodd’s Pond in the mid-1800s. This name likely originated from John Dodd who, with his family, lived in a house near the pond. Dodd passed away in 1854 and now rests in Owego’s First Presbyterian Union Church cemetery. The pond encompassed about three quarters of the property and was a popular spot for families in the community, and where children ice-skated in the winter and floated on homemade rafts in the summer.
The property, once a part of the Pumpelly Estate, was also home to multiple businesses that played a significant role in Owego’s storied history. Although these businesses have come and gone, what does remain is the strength and resilience of a community, and especially after enduring several floods. Today it is hoped that visitors will enjoy the property’s transformation from an eyesore into a soon-to-be beloved park for generations to come.
For more information about the fascinating history of the North Avenue Park property, a video can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD1G6j7N0b8.
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